Problems with polarized Sunglasses?
 

I tend to shy away from polarized lenses as the tend to make reflective surfaces have a strange sparkle to me sometimes. Anyway, I just came into a very nice pair of Maui Jim Banyans polarized sunglasses and the first thing I noticed when riding my bike the computer LCD screen is washed out (polarization angle of LCD screen appears to be opposite the sunglasses); yes if I turn my head 90 deg it clears up a bit, but that's not really a solution. I am just curious if anyone else has these issues, especially with Garmin GPS (or other brand) or any high end Shimano or Campagnolo computer? I'm more curious than anything else.

It's quite likely.

This is a bummer about polarised sunnies...

Yep, one of the reasons why I don't bother with polarized.

LCD screens have two polarizers as an integral part of their function; the liquid crystals rotate the polarization to allow or block light's passage through them. Adding a third polarizer to the mix will have the effect you describe and there is not much that can be done about it. I have the same problem with the display in one of my digital cameras. Fortunately the LCDs in my cars do not pose this problem.

The orientation of the polarizers in a display will either be OK with your glasses or not. The only way to tell if a given device will blank out or not is to try it. I do not know if you can specify the polarizer orientation or not with prescription glasses, which is what I have, you might ask.

As a fisherman the advantages of polarized lenses outweighs the inconveniences for me, your mileage may vary.

Sunglasses are vertically polarized. LCD displays with fixed viewing orientation are often vertically polarized for this reason. For displays that might be viewed in either portrait or landscape mode, it's common for LCDs to have the polarization oriented at 45 degrees so that polarized sun glasses won't make the screen does not go black in either. Some LCDs have a birefringent layer to convert the linear polarized light to circular polarized light so that there won't be angles where polarized sun glasses will turn the display black. With either the 45 degree orientation or the birefringent layer, polarized sunglasses will make the display darker than the make the surroundings.

The Garmins I have use vertically polarized displays.

Common problem with polarized glasses and LCD screens, but IMHO, the advantages on the road (being able to reduce the glare and see into a vehicle) far outweighs the inconvenience of not being able to read the screen of your trip computer.

I personally buy blue block polarized sunglasses, they give me the clearest glare free view of my sourroundings. And yes they do make screens of speedometers dark, but I dont continually look at mine. If I really need to look at it, I just raise my glasses and glance at it. The safety of the blue block polarized sunglasses it the over ridding thing. My need for safety far over rides the need to read the speedometer.

polarity done by is parallel lines .. in a camera filter you could rotate them .. round..

Not an issue on bicycles, but polarized lenses also do not work nicely with motorcycle helmet face-shields. Something about the stress of forming faceshields builds up polarizing effects in the clear plastic of the shield, which interact with the polarization of sunglasses to form a freaky rainbow halo around everything while also playing havoc with refraction. Tl;dr: think kaleidoscope, or trippin'... Neither of which are any good at speed on a motorcycle...

The same issue arises with navigational equipment on sailboats. In this case, the benefits of eye protection far outweigh the problem of turning one's head to read the depth or speed through the water.

Consider this a hint to stop worrying about instrumentation and just go out and enjoy the ride.

Yeah, that's just the way it is! I have the same issue, but I don't really spend a lot of time looking at the bike computer, so I don't worry too much about it.

If it is between the Polaroids and the computer, the 'roids win hands down. Toss out the computer and just take a look at the clock when you get home.

i recently got a pair of Rx polarized sunglasses that i wear cycling, and i have no problems viewing my garmin edge 200 with them.

Same here. No problem with my glasses / 800.

I spend quite a bit of time in a fishing boat and I wear polarized sunglasses. The screen on the sonar can be hard to see with polarized glasses when viewed at certain angles. When the issue arises I just tilt the screen a little and it becomes clear. You could try adjusting the angle of your lcd screen and see if it helps.

Good advice. Don't worry about the instrumentation, just get it sorted and use it to make your ride more enjoyable.

I don't notice any polarization at all with the 800... maybe the color display has something to do with it.

Actally of the dozen or so bikes that I ride regularly, only 3 have computers and I check the other 2. The one I was riding is the wife's and my tandem, and she likes to keep tabs on far we have ridden. As others have said, this simply requires the removal of my sunglasses from time to time (usually our destiny and point of return) so it's not a big deal, but it does factor in if I'm going to start using the polarized sunglasses or not. I guess I can just use my regular sunglasses when I ride a bikes with a computer, and use the polarized sunglasses with bikes that don't. BTW, any love out there for Rudy Project? I have a pair of carbon looking frame Skeey (non-polarized); 3 pairs of colored lenses. I bought these over 10 years ago (2000 model) and they look and feel like new; you got to love those half moon hard cases. A PITA sometimes but they really protect the glasses. The polarized set given to me is a pair of Maumi Jim Sports; probably a little more comfortable and definitely more eye cover to keep blowing grit out. Do you pay top dollar for sunglasses or do you buy sunglasses off a rack at a drug store?

No need to explain, my comment was a throwaway line for laughs. (I don't do LOLs)

IMO withe the early morning or late afternoon sun glaring off of blacktop demands the use of polarized glasses for safety, no two ways about it.

I fish a lot, and it's fairly easy to find "fishing specific" glasses for 2 for 5 bucks etc at times, in this case the glasses are polarized to help you see your line sitting on the water better. I honestly think I prefer them as I don't have to worry about my precious glasses cases etc.. if lost it's an oh well moment. My smart phone is my bike computer and usually resides in my jersey pocket as in ride stats do not concern me. Just my experiences.

Sweet shades are so much better than cheap ones, but far too easily damaged or lost.

In the end I've settled for patiently choosing a cheap pair; going without if necessary when nothing half-decent is on offer for >$30.

Far too heartbreaking when forget I have them propped up and smack my head into something with a $150 crunch in between...

i love polarized shades, they enhance the world

Love my MJ's, but not on the bike. And my Revos(polz'd) and my old real gold plated RayBans (non-polz'd). Still got my Vuarnet double gradients, too. Love 'em all, use 'em all. But none of these on the bike. Cheap Uvex plastic takes the road abuse and the drops and the sweat and, yeah, I can read all my cockpit toys. Cant seem to kill em. Great products. Use the clear ones, too. I do think, tho, that you can't beat the polorized Maui Jim glass on a clear blue sky day by the water. Unparalleled.